Hip-Hop
Rod Wave Rules Hot 100 Songwriters Chart, Led by ‘Tombstone’ & More
Rank, Title (co-songwriters in addition to Rod Wave)No. 11, “Tombstone” (Eric Foley Jr., Jaylon Howard, Jai Beats)No. 16, “Street Runner” (TNTxD, London Blue, Karltin Bankz, Ruth B)No. 22, “Richer,” featuring Polo G (Polo G, Roland Hannah, Flynn Cranston)No. 55, “SoulFly” (TNTxD, Tahj Money, Shaad K Rounds, Ryan Hartlove)No. 61, “Gone Till November” (Drum Dummie, Kimj)No. 63, “Don’t Forget” (TNTxD, Basobeats)No. 65, “Blame on You” (TNTxD, Evrgrn, Adam Fritz)No. 71, “All I Got” (Mook Got The Keys Jumping, LowLowTurnMeUp, DZIMI)No. 85, “Pills & Billz” (Eric Foley Jr., Roland Hannah, Uncle Cameron)No. 88, “How the Game Go” (Ryder Johnson, Taz Taylor, Adawg)No. 89, ...
Kodak Black Toasts to Freedom in New Single ‘Easter in Miami’: Watch the Video
Despite its title and Christian-themed cover art, Kodak Black‘s latest single, “Easter in Miami,” is anything but religious. The track, released on Easter Sunday (April 4), is the Floridian rapper’s fourth single of 2021. In the accompanying video, Kodak toasts with friends (in coordinated pastel suits) to “more blessings, more freedom” and “more health,” presumably celebrating his prison release by way of a commutation from former president Donald J. Trump. The rapper had served nearly half of his 46-month-long sentence on a firearms possession charge. The video, directed by DrewFilmedIt, paints a celebration of everything the “ZEZE” rapper was missing out on during his time behind bars: community, jewelry, designer labels, ...
DMX Fans & Family Gather Outside NY Hospital for Prayer Vigil
Simmons’ longtime lawyer, Murray Richman, said Sunday that the rapper was admitted to the intensive care unit but he was not sure what caused the heart attack. DMX made his rap debut in 1998, and has released seven albums in a career that has included three Grammy nominations. He also acted in several movies. But substance abuse has been a struggle for him over the years, including in 2019 when he canceled shows to go to a rehabilitation facility. Nevertheless, he retained his standing among fans. An online face-off last year with fellow rapper Snoop Dogg as part of the Verzuz series brought more than 500,000 viewers. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful pe...
Faith No More, Beastie Boys, Mastodon, Cypress Hill, 311, Sepultura Members Cover Public Enemy: Watch
The Kings of Quarantine collective have returned with another socially distanced cover song, this time taking on Public Enemy’s “She Watch Channel Zero” to benefit Roadie Relief. The star-studded crew is spearheaded by Slaves on Dope’s Jason Rockman and Kevin Jardine, along with Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher. For each performance, the trio are joined by an all-star team of music luminaries, and they recruited some big-time names for the Public Enemy cover. Along for the ride are Billy Gould and Mike Bordin (both of Faith No More), Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys), SA (311), MC Serch (3rd Bass), Derrick Green (Sepultura), Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), Toby Morse (H2O) and a special cameo from pop-artist Ron English of Popaganda fame. With vocal stylings from veteran hip-hop artists like MC Serch...
T.I. & Tiny Respond to New Sexual Assault Allegations From Three Women
Steve Sadow, counsel for T.I. and Tiny, provided a statement on the Harrises’ behalf to Billboard on Monday (April 5): “The Harrises are still waiting for the accusers to reveal themselves publicly. By continuing to hide behind anonymous allegations, the unnamed accusers effectively render themselves not credible and unworthy of belief. We say: Let the light shine on their identities so we can go about disproving these scurrilous accusations.” In February, The New York Times reported that Blackburn was seeking a criminal investigation and approached law enforcement authorities in Georgia and California on behalf of 11 people claiming they were victimized by the couple or their entourage. The alleged incidents occurred between 2005 to 2018 and...
Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
“Montero,” released March 26 on Columbia Records, is the 1,120th No. 1 in the Hot 100’s 62-year history. It’s the 51st single to debut at No. 1, and Lil Nas X’s first. “Montero” drew 46.9 million U.S. streams and sold 21,000 downloads in the week ending April 1, according to MRC Data. It also attracted 1.1 million radio airplay audience impressions in the week ending April 4. The track opens at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, where it’s Lil Nas X’s second leader, after “Old Town Road” ruled for a record 20 weeks, and No. 2 on Digital Song Sales. It was available in three versions in its first week: its original version; its “Satan’s Extended Version”; and its “But Lil Nas X Is Silent the Entire Ti...
Kodak Black & Entourage Ambushed, Security Guard Shot After Florida Concert: Report
Kodak Black and his entourage were reportedly ambushed in a shooting Monday morning (April 5) in Tallahassee, Fla., that left his security guard injured. After the Florida-based rapper headlined a hometown music festival on Easter Sunday billed “Cultur3 Fest Featuring Kodak Black + Friends,” the Tallahassee Democrat reports that Black and his entourage were ambushed at a McDonald’s near the Tally Strip at 3 a.m. on Monday. A shooter reportedly opened fire from a car that had been following them. Black had just left Baja’s Beach Club, which hosted the Cultur3 Fest afterparty, where they were followed to the fast food joint by multiple vehicles attempting to cut them off. The rapper’s security guard was shot in the leg while inside a car in the McD...
Topaz Jones Unveils Album Release Date, Shares “D.I.A.L.”: Stream
Back in February, Topaz Jones announced that his sophomore album was on the horizon by dropping a single called “Herringbone”. Now, the rapper has officially unveiled the record’s release date alongside another preview track called “D.I.A.L.”. Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma is due to arrive in the world on April 23rd. It’s the New Jersey artist’s sophomore album, following his widely-regarded 2016 debut Arcade. Like many artists these days, Jones is choosing to keep many of the record’s details (tracklist, artwork, potential guest features, etc.) under wraps until we get closer to its street date, but at least he’s giving us a taste of what it’ll sound like. Whereas “Herringbone” saw Jones channeling College Dropout-era Kanye over a luscious jazz-rap instrumental, “D.I.A.L.” feels m...
Motown’s Black Forum Label Revisits the Past Through Hip-Hop’s Future on ‘Fire in Little Africa’ Album
In announcing the album, Motown Records chairman/CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam said, “Fire in Little Africa is a powerful and timely project that provides a platform and outlet for the incredibly talented and thriving music community of Tulsa. Carrying the legacy of the Black Wall Street community, Fire in Little Africa is a body of work filled with purpose and prolific storytelling. I am honored and privileged to have Motown/Black Forum partner with Stevie ‘Dr. View’ Johnson, the Bob Dylan Center and Woody Guthrie Center to release this impactful hip-hop album.” Johnson, PhD and manager, Education & Diversity Outreach at the Woody Guthrie Center/Bob Dylan Center and the album’s executive producer, commented, “Fire in Little Africa has evolved into a communal hip-hop movement. W...
The Isley Brothers vs. Earth, Wind & Fire in Funk Legends ‘Verzuz’ Battle: See Billboard’s Scorecard For the Event
Hosted (with a somewhat heavy touch) by star comedian Steve Harvey, and with music courtesy of veteran DJ and quarantine-era sensation D-Nice, the event was clearly going to be a special one even before the two groups began spinning. D Nice span ’80s classics from Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan, before Harvey introduced himself, offered a prayer for “down bad” Verzuz veteran DMX, and raved about the formative importance of the two groups in his own life: “These groups made me. This music shaped me.” See Billboard‘s round-by-round scorecard for the epic showdown below — a supersized 25-round match, in accordance with the bands’ stunningly expansive catalogues — with our final winner tallied up and declared at the bottom. Round 1: The ...
DMX in “Vegetative State” Following Drug Overdose and Heart Attack
DMX is in a “vegetative state” having suffered “lung and brain failure,” according to his former manager, Nakia Walker. Walker told Buzzfeed News that DMX’s condition has not improved since he was initially hospitalized on Friday following a drug overdose and heart attack. “We’re just praying and waiting,” Walker said. “Praying and waiting.” The 50-year-old rapper is currently in the ICU at a hospital in White Plains, New York. His family will host a prayer vigil outside of the hospital on Monday evening at 5:00 pm local time. DMX is best known for his platinum-selling albums It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and … And Then There Was X, which contained signature hits like “Get at Me Dog”, “What’s My Name?”, and “Party Up (Up in Here)”. He also appeared in feature films like Bel...
BLACKPINK’s Rosé Does the ‘WAP’ Challenge & Cardi B Can’t Believe How Clean It Is
How you like that, Cardi B? BLACKPINK‘s Rosé recently hit the 10 million-follower milestone on TikTok, and she celebrated with a little dance — to the rapper’s viral “WAP” challenge, to be specific. “#10M !! Here you go,” the K-pop star captioned a TikTok video of herself getting down to the explicit track featuring Megan Thee Stallion. In the clip posted in the early morning hours of Sunday (April 4), Rosé — barefoot and in an oversized light gray hoodie and sweatpants — starts off with the high kick before quickly making it drop, and giggling as she finishes the dance on the floor. Only 10 hours after posting, the video of her dancing to Cardi B’s Hot 100 No. 1 song had already garnered more than 2.2 million views. And among the...
